The originality of Jacques Joyard's approach is based on studies combining the preparation of extremely pure membrane fractions and in-depth evaluation of cross-contamination, with innovative lipidomic and proteomic strategies. The involvement of the envelope in biogenesis, metabolism, transport or signaling has thus been deciphered and placed in the context of the endosymbiotic origin of chloroplasts.

The biennial Georges Morel Prize, created in 2013, is intended to reward the author of research conducted in a French laboratory for outstanding work in plant biology.

Jacques Joyard is Honorary Research Director at the CNRS. He carried out almost all of his research at the CNRS, in the Laboratory of Cell & Plant Physiology which he directed from 1991 to 2002. His research work has mainly focused on the limiting envelope of chloroplasts, in particular on the determination of its structural and functional characteristics, which testify to the endosymbiotic origin of chloroplasts. Coupling biochemical and molecular approaches with functional approaches, this work has demonstrated the unique role of envelope membranes in the biogenesis and physiology of chloroplasts and plant cells. This research on the chloroplast envelope has been the subject of more than a hundred scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals. As a scientific advisor at the CEA, he participated in the creation of Rhône-Alpes Genopole (where he was Deputy Director, then Director), Labex GRAL, etc.